The draft Neurodivergent Friendly Cardiff Strategy 2025 – 2030 outlines a partnership vision and commitment to increasing awareness and understanding of neurodivergence and to removing barriers to inclusion faced by neurodivergent individuals and their families, across all areas of life. This follows a motion passed by Full Council in September 2023 to work towards becoming a more neurodivergent-friendly city.

The draft strategy has been developed by Neurodivergent Friendly Cardiff,  a network of public service partners co-ordinated by Cardiff Council and including Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (CAVUHB), South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, South Wales Police, and third sector as well as other organisations including businesses, shops, entertainment venues, community groups and neurodivergent people themselves aiming to create a more inclusive and neuro-affirming city.

In all, 46 organisations have contributed to the strategy, setting out what they will do to support neurodivergent individuals and their families.

It aligns with the Council’s Stronger Fairer Greener commitment to produce a plan which ensures our services identify and meet the needs of neurodivergent citizens, and is built around six key aims:

1. Being included and part of your community
2. Reaching your goals in education and employment
3. Accessing information you can trust
4. Supporting the health and wellbeing of neurodivergent people and families
5. Being understood and celebrating difference
6. Improving environments for neurodivergent people

These key aims will be achieved by delivering a series of ‘We Will’ commitments that the Council and its partners have made and which are reflected throughout the strategy. Work is already underway on some of these commitments while a wide range of additional commitments will be taken forward by the Council and partners to make Cardiff a neurodivergent-friendly city.

Some of the main commitments are:

·       We will develop a Neurodivergent Friendly Cardiff website with the aim of bringing local information together in a centralised location that is easy to navigate (Cardiff Council)

·       We will continue to work with partners to offer specialist advice for neurodivergent individuals looking for employment (Department for Work and Pensions)

·       We will work in partnership with all schools in Cardiff to roll out a framework that supports teachers to embed best practices for neurodivergent learning (Cardiff Council)

·        We will provide the offer of ‘relaxed sessions’ for neurodivergent children and young people and families, who would prefer to attend quieter sessions (Children’s Play Services – Cardiff Council)

·       We will work in partnership to raise awareness of the Local Supported Employment Project with employers across Cardiff (Cardiff Council)

·       We will work with others across the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust to identify and test interventions that will improve experiences and outcomes for those with sensory difficulties (The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust)

·       We will create a sensory map of the building to support staff and visitors coming to the Museum (Amgueddfa Cymru)

·       We will continue to run the Discovery Programme which offers autistic young people the chance to attend workshops designed to help them enhance their confidence and skills for their future (Cardiff University)

Cardiff Council Cabinet will discuss the draft strategy at its next meeting on Thursday July 10, considering the recommendation to initiate an eight-week public consultation exercise to gather people’s views. If agreed, the consultation will launch on July 18 and conclude on  September 30.

Cabinet Member for Adult Services, Councillor Leonora Thomson, said: “One in seven people in the UK are neurodivergent, meaning that they experience the world differently. Neurodivergent people often have unique strengths and abilities, however they can face a range of barriers across our society, including finding employment, increased likelihood of mental health diagnoses and social isolation.

“I want to work towards creating a Cardiff where neurodivergent individuals and families can thrive - to improve not only the understanding of what it means to be neurodivergent, but also to create a Cardiff which celebrates and supports differences.”

Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry, said: “By ensuring our schools and education settings are inclusive, supportive environments, we’re helping to provide neurodivergent learners with the right tools and understanding they need to reach their potential in school and beyond.”

Cllr Ash Lister, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said: “This strategy puts the voices of neurodivergent children and families at the heart of how we shape services in Cardiff. It’s about creating a city where every young person feels understood, supported, and able to thrive.”

The full report to be considered by Cabinet, including the draft strategy and an easy-read version of the strategy, will be available here:

Agenda for Cabinet on Thursday, 10th July, 2025, 2.00 pm : Cardiff Council 

Ahead of that meeting, the draft strategy was discussed by the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday July 1. The agenda for that meeting is available here Agendafor Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, 1st July, 2025,4.30 pm : Cardiff Council

The Community & Adult Services Scrutiny Committee will also discuss the draft strategy on Monday July 7 at 4.30pm. The agenda for that meeting is available here: Agenda for Community & Adult Services Scrutiny Committee on Monday, 7th July,2025, 4.30 pm : Cardiff Council

Both scrutiny committee meetings are webcast here:

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